At Percy's Wedding
by Julu
Summary: There was no point in his being a drag on the Weasley family’s celebration and most of all he didn’t want to have to watch Ginny purposefully ignore him as she flitted around in that ridiculously sexy black dress. Harry/Ginny T-for language/adult themes


**_At Percy's Wedding_**

Harry fumbled with the watercooler and then leaned against the wall outside the loo. Perhaps if he stayed here in this dark corner of the Ministry no one would notice he had disappeared. It was a big 'if' considering the crowd that was now dining and dancing in the atrium. Percy Weasley was the only person he ever knew who would want to have his damn wedding in the Ministry of Magic. Harry sighed and crumpled the cone-shaped paper cup in his fist. He should just leave. There was no point in his being a drag on the Weasley family's celebration and most of all he didn't want to have to watch Ginny purposefully ignore him as she flitted around in that ridiculously sexy black dress.

He eased up to the corner and peeked around a potted palm. Candle-lit tables were scattered in a circle and couples were dancing around the new fountain, a statue of Fawkes that continually morphed from egg to golden Phoenix. Hundreds of golden butterflies fluttered over the dancer's heads and every ministry fireplace had been lit with a special red fire that cast a warm glow over the shiny marble floors. It should all be lovely and romantic - except his heart felt like lead and there was an aching feeling in his stomach that had nothing to do with food.

Ron and Hermione were swaying together, Ron bent so that his forehead touched Hermione's. They would be next, Harry thought. Another Weasley wedding wouldn't be too far away, and looking at Fleur as she chatted with Ginny, neither would another Weasley grandchild. Ginny laughed and held Victoire's tiny hands as the baby stood up on her lap. Why did she have to be so hard-headed, so infuriating, so incredibly sexy?

Harry cursed under his breath and turned with a jerk. There was an embarrassing thump and an "Ummph" and he found himself falling back into the potted palm.

"Neville," Harry rubbed his head and stood up, "I'm so sorry mate. I'm - I'm bang out of line- not watching where I'm going."

"It's alright, Harry," Neville had just managed not to fall by catching on to the water cooler and he held it steady as it tottered precariously. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah – no – I mean I'm okay, I'm just feeling – stupid. I think I need to get out of here."

Neville's eyes narrowed and followed Harry's gaze over to where Ginny was sitting.

"You and Ginny had a fight?"

Harry loosened his dress robe and sat down on the bench beside the watercooler. "Yeah. We don't fight a lot, really. But when we do, it's not pretty."

Neville chuckled, "Well, you've always known that about the Weasleys. When they fight…"

"Yeah…" Harry paused and watched the dance floor. Percy was waltzing with his mother. Mrs. Weasley fumbled with her long blue robe, but smiled up at her son as he turned her under his arm. Harry glanced again at Ginny and felt his stomach clench. She was looking at him. No sooner had their eyes met than she had looked away. She strode across the dance floor and disappeared through a service door beside a fireplace.

Neville cleared his throat and poured himself a cup of water from the cooler. "She just went into the Ministry kitchen, Harry. You should go after her. That's my advice."

"Neville, I don't understand women. Why are they so…so…so…"

"Indispensable," Neville said.

"Totally."

"If I go after her right now, I'm going to have to say something about a conversation we had last night. And I don't know how to say what I need to say. I'll muck it up for sure, Neville. Anyway, things with Ginny aren't going how I planned them. Everything's different and…damn Neville…I think I'm in over my head here."

Neville chuckled. "Oh come on Harry, it doesn't take Professor Trelawney to figure out that you and Ginny are meant to be together. Are you telling me you've just now figured out you're in love with her?"

"No – I mean, of course I love her. She makes me laugh, she gets me when nobody else does, she makes things easier – except for when she makes things harder."

"What's harder?"

Harry sighed. "It's a long story."

Neville nodded. "I think you should talk about it with Ginny instead of me. I'll make you a deal. You go talk to Ginny and send Hannah Abbott out here to talk with me."

"Hannah Abbott?" Harry grinned. "Do you fancy her?"

"I think she's incredible."

"Really?"

"Yep. She's so talented and she doesn't even realize it. Audrey talked her into catering the wedding. She's been worrying about it for weeks, but it was all perfect."

"Does she know you like her?"

"Not a clue. I'm too much of a coward to ask her out."

"We're a couple of sorry blokes," Harry snorted in disgust. "Godric Gryffindor would toss both of us off the Astronomy Tower. Okay, then. One Hannah Abbott on the dance floor and Ginny Weasley in the kitchen. Good luck, then, Neville."

"I'll probably need it more than you," Neville smiled.

"Don't be so sure," Harry muttered. He swatted at a gold butterfly and then walked fiercely toward the door through which Ginny had disappeared.

When he stepped through the door, he found himself in a bright white and silver room, filled with shelves of cauldrons and baskets with one long steel table at the center. Ginny was talking with Hannah and she looked coolly at him as he approached.

"Hannah, Neville Longbottom was looking for you."

Hannah's eyes widened. "Oh, okay. Thanks Harry, I guess I should go find him."

Harry didn't take his eyes off Ginny. "He's on the dance floor. You'd better hurry. There's always a line of girls to dance with Neville."

Hannah blushed and quickly disappeared through the door.

"We need to talk, Ginny."

She tossed her hair and reached for a basket that was hanging just out of her reach on an overhead rack. He lifted it down for her and handed it over.

"I could have gotten that myself, you know."

"I know you could."

"If you'll excuse me, Harry, I'm going to make my brother and his wife a basket with food from the reception before they leave for their honeymoon. They've barely had a chance to eat their own wedding cake."

"That's very thoughtful of you."

"Yes, well, I'm capable of having a few intelligent thoughts. Though that might surprise you."

"No. You are capable of whatever you set your mind to."

"Except, playing for the Harpies." She laughed dryly.

"We've been over this a thousand times. It's not about you playing for the Harpies. It's about the schedule and the contractual obligations."

"Having contracts and schedules is part of professional Quidditch, Harry. You know that is part of the deal."

"Yes, but the Harpies have no right to interfere with your private life. Other professional teams don't have contracts like that, Ginny. It's ridiculous."

"They don't see it that way. They see that they are paying me a lot of money and that my private life impacts my performance."

"So being with me is going to mess up your performance as a seeker? It's insane. They're men haters, Ginny."

"There you go again! What do you want me to do about it?"

"I want you to tell them to take that stupid stuff about your personal life out of that contract or to fuck off! A celibacy clause! Good God, Ginny! Who do they think they are?"

"You know the rules are the same for all the Harpies," she snapped. "It's been this way for 400 years. It's tradition."

"It's a stupid and asinine tradition. Who you see and what you do in your private life is nobody's business."

"Look Harry, I waited and waited for you. And now I'm asking you to wait for me. I want this. I want this for me. We aren't talking about forever. It's only six months. When the season is over, I'll be back home at the Burrow."

He was burning with frustration. How could she even think of going back to her parent's house? "Don't you get it, Ginny? When the season is over, I don't want you to go back to the Burrow. I want you home with ME!"

Harry froze. The words had come out far too loud and far too fast. He wanted to take them and push them back inside, not because they weren't true but because he had crossed the line. Now it was out there and he couldn't go back and nothing was happening the way it was supposed to happen.

She was completely still. He could see her chest rising and falling under the black silk of the bridesmaid dress. "What are you saying to me, Harry?"

"You know I'll wait for you, Ginny. But when the waiting's over, I want you all the time, every night, every morning. And...and... the truth is…I'm a sorry sot, Ginny. I brood too much. I'm self-centered. I'm a slob and I like it that way – I hate things being too neat…and…"

She had frozen with a look of shock on her face but her eyes softened and a tiny smile crept across her face.

"You aren't telling me anything I don't already know. Tell me something new, Harry. Tell me something I don't know."

He took a deep breath and then picked up her hand. "I'm scared to death of living without you. I need you, Ginny. Please marry me."

At that exact moment Molly Weasley breezed through the kitchen door. "Ginny, Harry, there you are. They're about to leave! You've got to get out there or you'll miss it. Hurry, hurry, Hermione has the rice."

Ginny gaped between her mother and Harry. "I was...um...I was making a honeymoon basket..."

Molly nodded and pointed her wand at the basket on the kitchen counter. With a small flash and a poof of smoke, it was suddenly topped with a white ribbon. "Give that to George, dear, and let him send it on. He knows all the honeymoon details." She gave them both a push and they were back in the atrium, the crowd gathering in two lines leading up to one of the huge Ministry floos that was now burning bright green. Percy and Audrey were at the end hugging their families and Harry suddenly found himself shaking Percy's hand and then Ginny had her arms around her brother's neck and then the couple was running and everyone was laughing and pelting them with rice. George yelled, "Pick her up, you prat, pick her up!" Percy grinned and picked Audrey up in his arms and she laughed and waved over his shoulder as he stepped into the emerald flames. They could all see the couple looking at one another for one fleeting second before they disappeared.

And then everyone was talking at once, people were saying goodbye, Neville was helping Hannah make plates and glasses disappear and the two kept casting shy smiles at each other. Victoire was asleep on Bill's shoulder. Charlie and George were heading back towards the bar. Only Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were still swaying on the dance floor.

"You never danced with me, Harry." Ginny took his hand a led him out onto the floor. He wrapped his arms around the tight fitting silk bodice and he could feel every curve. Her cheek was against his and he was breathing the scent of her hair. If he tipped his head ever so slightly he could brush it against his chin. Her fingers were at his neck and they were gently stroking him in the most soothing way.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Sorry for what?"

"Sorry for mucking up your proposal. Sorry for being a prick."

"You didn't muck anything up and you aren't a prick, Harry."

They kept swaying on the dance floor. Somehow it felt private to hold her close, to hear her whisper in his ear things that only he could hear.

"It wasn't what I planned for you, you know. It wasn't the way it should have been."

"Well, I have an idea. Why don't you ask me again? Why don't you ask me over and over again? You'll always have the same answer, you know. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes."

He lifted her chin and kissed her lightly and she turned her head and rested it against his chest. "Except for... Harry, you know I'm still going to play for the Harpies."

He chuckled and pulled back and looked at her. "Well, _I'm_ going to wait for you for six months and then after that the Harpies may have to wake up to some new traditions."

"Fair enough," she smiled and laid her head back against his chest. "Harry?"

"Mmm."

"I haven't signed any contracts with celibacy clauses in them, yet."

He took her face in both his hands. "Ginny Weasley, will you come home with me tonight? I have something very very important to ask you."

She nodded slowly. "Yes," she whispered.


End file.
